Finding Wanda
by mundane-pansycakes
Summary: What exactly happened in the time between Wanda was taken out of Mel's body and put back into Pet's? It wasn't just a quick switch. Ian had to face the hardest days of his life. Melanie had to adjust to being back her own skin, and Jared was having trouble focusing on anything but her. The plan was to find a new host, but none of them knew how hard it would be.
1. Chapter 1

The warm darkness of the hospital nearly overwhelmed Doc as he slid his scalpel across Wanda's skin. Well, Melanies. Despite his violently shaking hand, he managed to make a clean cut. Tears started to roll down his face as he thought of what he had to do next: remove Wanda.

His breathing quickened as he slipped his finger under the body's skin, carefully feeling around for the tiny little Soul, the only one whom he actually cares about. He felt her body roll under his fingers. With every segment his finger glanced over, another tear drizzled down his cheek. The soft sound of footsteps padded against the floor and he looked up, scared. Nobody was there. Must be somebody heading to the latrine.

His finger finally found the soft, pearly section of Wanda's body. He massaged it gently, praying to God that he wasn't hurting Wanda. Was she even awake? Did she understand what was happening? He hoped not.

After a second or two, the soul relaxed itself, detaching easily from Melanie's body. He carefully cupped Wanda in his finger and slid her outside of the body. "Jared," he whispered to the boy waiting just outside the hospital. Wanda didn't want him to watch, but he was allowed to come in and care for Melanie.

Jared walked inside, his eyes red, too. He carefully tended to Melanie's wound, rubbing Heal, Clean, and Smooth over it just as he'd watch Doc done before. Doc popped the lid of a cyrotank, carefully not to drop the precious creature in his hands. Though he had seen so many host-less souls before, he had never found them beautiful. The thought of them had always disgusted him so much. But now, holding his friend tightly in his palm, he believed that Wanda was spectacular to look at, glowing silver in the darkness. He set her down carefully inside of the tank, the cold air brushing his skin, and sealed it tight. He was just setting it down––separate from the other cyrotanks––when he heard more footsteps, this time pounding fast on the ground. "Wanda!" Ian called from outside the hall. Jared looked up from Melanie's lifeless body and cursed. Doc rushed over to the door to block Ian. This was not part of the plan.

"Wanda! Wanda, stop!" Ian called, his body coming into Doc's view. He caught sight of him, standing there, and charged, anger flaring through his face. "Where is she? Please, Doc, please tell me you didn't-" he was yelling. But even in the darkness, Doc could see the tears covering his face, the redness in his eyes. He struggled against Doc's grip, sobbing softly.

"Ian, please, stop fighting," Doc said, holding him back. Jared was now standing behind Doc for back up. Seeing the two there, Ian resigned and fell against the wall, holding his head.

"Why, Doc, why? She-she didn't have to do this! She's so stupidly selfless," he bawled. "Why can't she ever do anything for herself, huh? And you!" he exclaimed looking at Jared. "You didn't even try to stop her! All you care about is getting your damn Melanie back! You don't even care that Wanda sacrificed her life to do it! She'd do anything for you, and you just abused that!" he wailed, his body up in flames of anger and grief.

"I'm sorry, Ian. Please, just listen," Jared said, kneeling down beside him. "I was going to stop her, but . . but she ran off. There was no way of talking her out of it. I'm sorry. If I could, I would want her back. Mel would too. She didn't even care about not having her body if it meant Wanda dying." Although Wanda had told him that Mel was happy about it, he had easily seen through the lie. It was obvious Melanie was just as pained about the decision.

Ian just shook his head angrily, moaning, "I loved her!" He banged his head against the wall. "I loved her, Doc. And you took her away!"

"Ian, I'm-" Doc started, but he was cut off by the sound of a moan, coming from the hospital. Jared's eyes bulged out as he turned around and saw Melanie, rolling her head to the side. Even Ian stopped yelling at that. The three rushed over to her bedside, forgetting their argument for just a moment. Even Ian couldn't betray the body at this time.

"Mel," Jared murmured, placing his hand on her face and rubbing her cheek softly. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled slightly. She took in a shaky breath and placed her hand on top of his.

"Jared," she repeated. Out of the corner of her eye, she could just make out a cyrotank, softly glowing blue to show that it's occupied. "Oh, Jared," she cried. Tears rushed down her face as she pictured Wanda inside of it. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed into his chest. Confused at first, Jared shot a puzzled look at Doc, but then embraced her softly.

"Shh, it's okay."

"No, it's not okay!" she whined. "We need to get Wanda back _now! _I tried to stop her but I-I couldn't do anything. And I can't stand the idea of not living with out her." Thinking about it made Ian start to tear up as well. "We need to get her a new host, Jared. _Now!"_

Jared held his hands out. "Woah, Mel, slow down. I just got you back and you think I'm going to leave you? I need some time, Mel. I've missed you a lot," he said, stroking her hand.

"I know. I-I missed you, too. But, Wanda is our priority right now."

"You don't actually think she'd want to be put in another body, do you? She said she doesn't want to be a parasite. Just let her be," Jared argued.

"Are you crazy? She's my sister! I'm not letting her go that easily," Mel shot back, sitting upright. The No Pain was very effective, and she barely felt any different from before.

"Your sister? Mel, she took over your body. I know you didn't like it."

"She didn't take me over willingly, Jared! It's not like she asked for this. It's who she is. She can't help it," Melanie defended. "And I love her. Yes, it was hard, and different from any experience I've had, but I'm glad it happened. She's the kindest _human _I've ever met. She'd do anything for anyone, even people who treat her poorly. She'd probably sacrifice herself for Maggie or even Sharon, she's _that _selfless. And if you don't understand that, then-"

Jared cut her off by kissing her softly, stopping her angry, defensive rant. After a second or two, he pulled away, already missing the taste of his lips. "Mel, that's not what I was trying to say. I like Wanda. You know I do. I just . . I need some time with you before we do anything else. Okay? I just got you back." He leaned in again, but Melanie squirmed away.

"Stop, Jared. I know you like Wanda, but sometimes you make it seem like she's the bad guy. Just please help me get her back," she whispered softly, taking his hands gently. Doc and Ian were watching intently, both hoping that Jared would agree. If they were to go on a raid for a new host, Jared was a necessity.

He took a deep breath in, looking into Mel's silverless eyes, and smiled slightly. "Okay. But not today. You deserve at least one day alone here before we have to leave." Melanie grinned, agreeing to the terms, and wrapped his arms around him.

As the two reunited in a less angry manner, Ian turned to Doc, Wanda filling his mind. "Where's the cyrotank?"

Doc pointed to the single cyrotank resting in the corner. "She wanted me to let her go, but I couldn't do it." He was so relieved he had not simply left Wanda out to die. A few minutes without a host and she would be gone forever. Ian nearly ran over to the tank. He picked it up and held it tightly in his arms, careful not to shake it. He looked down at it sadly, picturing his love laying oblivious inside the tank.

"Can I hold onto it until they come back?" Ian asked.

"Of course," Doc nodded. He turned away and headed to his desk to look over so work. Ian walked over to Jared and Mel, who were now smiling at each other like idiots, hands wrapped around each other. "Ian, I'm sorry," Mel started, finally noticing him. "I really tried to stop her, I just-"

"I understand. It's not like you could've done anything," he shrugged. It was weird talking to the girl he'd known for so long as Wanda. Same voice. Same body. Different words.

"I promise we'll get her back, though! I'd rather be trapped in my head with her than in my body without her," she laughed lightly. "And we'll make sure that the human won't wake up. So she won't be a parasite. Does that sound better?" Ian just nodded in approval, to drained to say much else. "Okay, well, I guess I better go say hi to everybody. We should probably explain this, too, right?"

"That might be a good idea. It's almost morning so everyone will be at breakfast soon," Jared added in.

"Great," Mel smiled, laying her head against his shoulder. "Do you want to come, Ian?" Despite Mel's dislike for him before, she didn't mind him much now. The only reason she really hated him was because he _wasn't_ Jared.

"No," he shook his head, looking down at the glowing cylinder. "I think I'll stay here for a while. I just . . . need to think."

Mel nodded slowly then looked up at Jared. He grinned and helped her up, wrapping his arm around her waist. "It'll be okay, Ian. I promise," she whispered just before turning out the door.

"I hope so."


	2. Chapter 2

Melanie and Jared raced down the tunnel, hand in hand. Jared couldn't resist touching her after missing her for so long. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and love her. But he had to wait. Melanie needed some time; Melanie needed Wanda.

Though she felt sick to her stomach by the fact that Wanda is gone for now, she couldn't stop the feeling of joy rising inside of her. She was _back_. Back in her body and back in her life. It felt so good to hold onto Jared like she'd wanted to for so long. Her mind was clear of voices and it felt wonderful.

"Mel," Jared breathed as the reached the end of the tunnel, to where the center of the underground area opened up. She turned and looked at him, tears in her eyes, before he pulled her close. He kissed her fiercely, running his hands all over her body, through her hand, under her shirt. Mel smiled in surprise and slid her hands over his neck, loving the control she had over her movements. Jared pushed her against the wall and kissed her harder, more hungrily. God, he had missed this. She crept her legs around his and pulled him in tighter before fighting away for a breath. "I've missed you so much."

"I know," she whispered, cupping his face. "But we can continue this tonight," she laughed. "We need to explain this to everybody, first." Melanie's desire to be with Jared was pretty strong, but she had to set her priorities straight. She needed to see Jamie.

The two walked slowly into the common area. Luckily, no one was around. They were all in the cafeteria. Breathing a sigh of relief, the two strolled carefully towards the room, the smell of food sucking them in. Sure enough, everybody was gathered inside, laughing and smiling like it was a normal day. Crouched over a bowl of soup, Jamie sat, smiling across the table at Lily. Jamie caught sight of Melanie and stood up, rushing towards her. "Guess what, Wanda?" he exclaimed, bombarding Melanie.

"Jamie," Mel smiled, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight. Tears flooded her eyes as she realized how hard this would be. Having to tell her brother that his other sister is gone, even if only for a while. "Oh, Jamie."

"What's wrong? Are you okay, Wanda?" Jamie asked, concerned.

"Jamie," Mel sighed, looking into his eyes. "It's Mel." Jamie furrowed his brow, confused for a moment, before taking in his sister. _Her eyes should be silver_, he thought. _Wanda's eyes are silver! _His mouth opened wide as he finally realized what she was trying to tell him. Wanda's gone, Melanie's back.

"Mel?" He whispered, his voice cracking. He buried his face in her chest and cried. "I've missed you a lot, Mel."

"I know, Jamie," she soothed. "Me, too. But I'm here now, okay? Everything is going to be alright." She ran her fingers through his hair. By now, the whole cafeteria was silent. Everybody was focusing on the scene before them, eyes wide in confusion, shock, and a little bit of happiness.

"But . . . but where's Wanda?" Jamie asked although he knew the answer. There was only one place she could be if she wasn't inside of Mel. "She's not really gone, is she?"

Melanie bit her lip and looked up at Jared, who was rubbing his temples. "Wanda's in a cyrotank, Jamie," he said.

Tears rolled down his cheek. He fought them away, but it was no use. "How . . . how could you do that, Jared? How could you let her do that? I mean, I love you, Mel, but I love Wanda, too! And I got to have both of you when she was inside of you. Now . . . Now I only have you." Jamie didn't mean to offend Melanie, and luckily she didn't feel that way. She felt the same about Wanda.

"I know, Jamie. That's why we're going to get her back. Tomorrow we're going to go on a raid for a new body for her. I don't want to lose her either," she said, wiping the tears off her face. "It will be okay."

At the sound of that, Jamie's face lit up. "Really? She's going to be fine?"

"Yes. Everything will be back to normal in just a day or two!" A small crowd had gathered around the three, all anxious to hear more.

"Wait-you're going to put Wanda back into another body? Are you crazy? All that's doing is taking another innocent human life away!" Maggie complained. She didn't even bother saying hi to Melanie. Just started arguing. "Next thing you know, you'll be giving yourselves up to those parasites."

"Don't talk about her like that!" Melanie snapped, standing up and getting in her face. "She's much more of a human then you'll ever be! It makes me sick that I'm related to you."

"That's my Mel," Jared murmured under his breath. Having Melanie speak such forceful words proved to everyone that Wanda was really gone.

"And of course we're not going to take another human life away! We're going to make sure that the human doesn't wake up before insertion. That way, Wanda's not a parasite, and we're not taking anyone's life," she added.

Maggie just scowled and turned away, taking Sharon with her. Jeb took the opportunity to come forward and hug Melanie, squeezing her tight. "It's good to have you back, kiddo. I must say that it's reassuring to know that Wanda hasn't taken any of your anger away from you," he laughed.

Melanie hugged him back and grinned. "Thanks, Jeb." The others slowly came around and introduced themselves properly to Melanie, all saying that they're glad she's back, but also can't wait to find Wanda a new host. All of them seemed pleased with the idea of finding a new host that doesn't respond. All that was left to do was figure out the plans for the raid.

Melanie soon realized that Kyle and Jodi were missing. She looked towards Jared and asked, "Where are Kyle and Jodi?" Jodi had been brought back a little while ago and should be fine by now. Maybe they're just spending some time alone.

Everybody's eyes dropped a little bit at the questions. "Jodi didn't wake up, Mel," Jared whispered, rubbing her arm softly. "Doc thinks that because Sonny was in there for so long, Jodi's . . . gone." Mel looked away, feeling horrible, and tried not to cry. Though Kyle had tried multiple times to kill her, she still felt sympathy for him.

"So what did you do?" she said.

"Kyle wanted us to put Sonny back in. He . . . he thought maybe she could search for Jodi and bring her back," Jared replied. "I don't think it will happen though."

Everybody was silent for a moment, until Jamie piped up, "But Sonny's super nice! She's even more Soul-like than Wanda," he laughed. They all smiled at that, and Melanie silently wished to meet Sonny in person sometime soon. Hopefully before the raid tomorrow. After a while, Jared finally asked the important question.

"So, how exactly are we searching for a host? We can't just go out there and look for one," Jared asked. He secretly hated the idea of putting the thing back into a human body, but he knew that Wanda was a good Soul, and deserved it. The idea still creeped him out, though.

"That's exactly what we'll do," Mel shrugged. "We'll just drive around a little bit until we find somebody. We can wear sunglasses or something. We'll be careful."

"We have to make sure that she _look_s like Wanda. She can't seem to tough or anything. She has to look sweet and caring. And pretty! Wanda _has _to be beautiful," Jamie put in. Mel had already declared that Jamie would be allowed on the raid, considering he wanted so badly to help pick out the host.

"She _is _beautiful, Jamie," Ian smiled from the cafeteria entrance. He still looked a little broken, but definitely better. Jamie grinned at him and raced over, hugging him.

"Are you okay, Ian?" he asked. He knew how much Wanda meant to him, and how hard this must've been. He saw that Ian was carrying a glossy cyrotank, faintly glowing blue.

Ian sighed and pulled away from Jamie's grasp, steadying him by the shoulders. "I'll be okay once we get her back. Please pick out the perfect body, Jamie. I'm trusting you with that, okay?"

Jamie grinned and nodded, then rushed back over to the group. Ian stayed behind as the others talked excitedly about getting Mel back, asking her questions about how it feels to be back again. Mel answered their questions happily as Jared rubbed her back, grinning. Jamie sat beside her and held her hand, anxious to spend more time with his sister. Ian watched silently as the family was reunited, and his was broken.


	3. Chapter 3

After breakfast, Mel and Jared headed back to their room for some alone time. Under the circumstances, Jeb had given them a day off of work. Tonight they would leave for the raid, anyway, and they needed time to prepare and rest. Jamie was let off of school, as well, but decided to let the two spend some time together.

Melanie giggled as she climbed into the bed, Jared right behind her. She immediately lay down on her back. Jared eased himself on top of her, careful not to put his full weight on her, and gingerly pressed his lips to hers. Mel lifted her right hand and tangled it in his hair. She grinned against his lips as his hands ran up and down her sides. "Jared," she whispered, sliding her hands under his shirt. She could feel the perfectly sculpted muscles under her fingers, the light trail of hair. He leaned in closer to her, kissing her more passionately. He had so terribly missed the feel of _her _lips, despite the few times he had kissed Wanda. It's so much better with Mel in her body; so much more meaningful.

Mel methodically rolled over so that she was straddling Jared, who reluctantly let her do so. He sat up a little and let his tongue slide over her lips until she opened her mouth and let him in. Her body heated up at his touch and her heart pounded in her chest. She played with the hem of his shirt before easing it off of him, breaking their kiss for only a quick second. She explored his body once again, running her hands over his shoulders as he trailed a path of kisses down her neck. He stopped when he met the neckline of her shirt and looked up into her eyes for approval. They hadn't done this in a while, after all, and he didn't want to push her too far. She looked down at him and nodded, needing his touch. He gently pulled the shirt over her head and smiled at what he say. Her perfect skin, glowing faintly in the morning light. Her round breasts, still cupped in her braw. Her embarrassed smile as she tilted his chin up to her face. "Sorry, Mel. I've just really missed you."

She laughed before pressing his mouth against hers once again. Jared carefully trailed his hands over her body, tickling her stomach, massage her back. She moaned as his hands skimmed the lower part of her body, and pulled away slightly. "Jared, no." Despite how much she had missed him, she wasn't ready for that yet. "I . . . I just got back. We need to take some time, Jared. Work up to that."

Jared, though a little disappointed, nodded. "Whatever you want," he whispered. They returned to their kissing, not going any farther than that; just feeling and loving each other.

* * *

Ian sat on his bed, staring longingly at the cylinder in front of him. He wondered if Wanda knew what was going on now. If she was scared or nervous, or if she was missing him, too. Could she even think in this form? He didn't know. Could she do _anything? _He didn't know that either. He would love her no matter what, even if she couldn't think or move or speak. He had never seen _her _as a silver Soul, but he had seen others-sadly, only the ones that Doc had cut up. But before he had dissected them, they had been just as gorgeous. They glowed with this ethereal light that captured his attention. He could only imagine how much more marvelous Wanda looked if a stranger Soul looked like that.

He decided that he wanted to learn a little bit more about what Wanda was going through; if she was in pain, if she was even aware. He got up, carefully holding the cyrotank, and headed next door to Kyle's room. Kyle wasn't there, surprisingly, but Sunny sat, curled up, on the bed. Kyle never left her alone, but he supposed he had to work. Sunny, having just gotten here, wasn't allowed to work in the fields yet, or even in the kitchen. She usually clung to Kyle; it must have taken guts for her to stay here alone.

He knocked lightly on the door, as not to startle her. She jumped up, anyway, and turned nervously to where Kyle stood. She let out a breath of relief at the familiar face, and relaxed slightly. She still wasn't comfortable with humans besides Ian, but she didn't mind him as much because he was Kyle's brother. "Hey, Sunny. Can I come in?" he asked gently. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded. He walked in slowly and sat down on the edge of the bed, hoping that was enough distance. "I came to ask you a few questions . . . about Wanda. And Souls, I guess."

"Oh," she said, not expecting that. "Can I ask you something first?" He furrowed his brow before nodding. "Is she going to come back? I . . . I miss her."

Ian looked down, sad. Of course the only other Soul down here would miss Wanda. Especially someone as shy as Sunny. "Yes. Jared, Mel, and Jamie are going to find her another host tonight. We'll have her back in a few days." He smiled down hopefully at the cyrotank in his arms.

"Good," she smiled slightly. "Um, what would you like to know?'

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything. I can always ask Wanda when she gets back," he started. "It's just . . I was wondering what it's like for Souls when they're in their own bodies?" He wasn't sure if that was the correct phrasing and worried he'd offended her.

Luckily, Sunny just nodded. She must've been asked this before. "It's not anything," she sighs. "We don't feel. We don't move. We don't _think."_

"Why-Why not?"

"Well, because we can't. That's the whole reason that we have to have a host body-to be able to _be. _Once we attach to a host, we're able to use their senses and their minds to be able to live. Without them, we're nothing."

"So . . . does that mean that Wanda might not be the same in a different host?" Ian asked, scared of the answer. What if it was no? What if he could never get _his _Wanda back?

"No, of course not," Sunny rushed to answer. "Our bodies still retain thoughts and memories and the like. It's just that while we're hostless, we can't access them. It's kind of like you're sleeping, but without dreams, I guess." She shrugged again and nervously played with her hair.

"Does it hurt at all? I mean, being in a cyrotank without a host?"

Sunny closed her eyes and thought this one through. "Not exactly. I mean, we don't necessarily feel it. But in some way, or bodies are aware that they aren't in a host. And without a host, we die," she said sadly. She was thinking about how Kyle almost didn't put her back inside of Jodi. "A cyrotank is like a fake host-an environment that keeps us alive for the time being. Our bodies respond to it somewhat like a host, but they also recognize the difference. It doesn't hurt, but it doesn't feel good. Does that make any sense?"

This was the most that Sunny had ever said to him, maybe even anyone, and he had trouble taking it in. The idea of not feeling, not thinking, but still sensing a difference was too much for him to handle. "A little. I just can't really imagine it."

"It's hard," she agreed. "I always try to remember how it feels once I get to a new planet, but it's impossible to imagine again. I only really know the exact feeling when I'm in the cyrotank-but even then I can't process it because I can't _think. _It's a bit of a paradox," she laughs.

"Definitely," Ian answered. They were quiet for a long moment before he talked again. The relief that Wanda wasn't in any pain made him feel better, but the thought of Wanda not thinking made him worry. "How does it feel to, you know, be in a different body?"

He was positive she wouldn't want to answer this, but she surprised him by talking immediately. "It feels amazing. I'm not going to lie and say that I love my own body, because I don't. It makes me feel small and gross. It makes me feel like I _am _a parasite. But being in a larger, a smarter body-it's just incredible. I finally get to feel like I'm worth something, like I matter. It's just . . I don't know," she says shyly, ducking her head.

"Hey, don't say that," Ian says, touching her arm gently. "You're not a parasite, Sunny. And you're not gross; you're beautiful. And you matter, even if you're not in a host." That's what he'd tell Wanda if she ever said something like that, and telling Sunny made him feel a little better.

"Thanks," she whispered. "I'm gl-" she was interrupted by the sound of the makeshift door slamming.

"What the hell is this?" Kyle yelled, looking angrily at Ian. "Get out of here!"

"Kyle, he was just asking me some questions," Sunny murmured.

"Kyle, I'm sor-"

"Shut up, Ian! Get out of here before I make you. Don't go near her!" he roared. Sunny whimpered. Ian quickly got up and shuffled out the door just as Kyle went over and sat beside Sunny. He raced back towards his room and slid back inside his bed, clutching his Wanda to his chest.


	4. Chapter 4

Jared snatched his bag off of his bed and threw it over his shoulder. "Mel, you coming?" he called, smiling as she frantically searched through his clothes for something to wear. She didn't have any things of her own, yet, and wasn't going to take all of Wanda's stuff. Not that Wanda would mind it at all when she got back, but she still felt wrong taking them. Instead, she was filling one of Jared's backpacks with his smaller t-shirts and unused toothbrushes. She'd have to survive in her current pair of jeans for a few days, at least until they had the chance to raid for some clothes.

"Yeah, one sec," she said, zipping the pack closed. She slipped her arms through it and met Jared by the door. Their hands unconsciously entangled and they walked down the tunnel together, heading towards the entrance to the desert.

"Are you nervous?" Jared asked, noticing Mel's searching eyes. She always did that when she was anxious; looking around as if waiting for something to attack her. "Don't be, babe. I'll keep you safe."

"I know," Mel said, nudging him in the side. She hated appearing weak, even in front of Jared. "I just really want Wanda back. I miss her a lot."

Jared sighed, not wanting to discuss the topic. Yes, he had gotten along with Wanda after a while. But no, he didn't exactly miss her. I mean, how could you miss the Soul that took over your girlfriend's body? He knew that Melanie hated when he talked about Wanda like that, but he couldn't help himself. He just didn't understand it.

They reached the cave's entrance, where Jeb, Ian and Jamie were all waiting, talking to themselves. Jamie was jumping up and down with excitement. He thought of Wanda as his second sister and had missed her like crazy over the last day or so. Ian was standing quietly with his arms wrapped around Wanda's cyrotank, clutching it with his life. Jeb was blabbering on about the regular rules of the raid to Jamie, who had only been on a few in his time here at the caves. "Ah, look who decided to show up," Jeb chuckled as Jared and Mel came into view.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Jared laughed. "So, we ready or not?"

Melanie squeezed Jamie into a hug, despite his protests, and looked expectantly towards Jeb. "Yeah, 'think so," Jeb grinned. "Now, you make sure you keep 'em safe, Jared. I don't want ta lose my niece again."

"I will," Jared promised. "Ian, are you going to come?" He had said no earlier, but maybe he changed him mind.

"I . . no. Just, please, Jared. Be quick," he begged, looking down at the cylinder in his hands.

"We will, Ian," Melanie smiled before hugging him. He hugged her back lightly before pulling away. "We'll be back soon." She smiled as Ian stalked off to his room, Jeb following.

Jared turned to Mel and Jamie, now in full-on raid-mode. "Okay, Mel, let me tell you what to do. First you-"

"Jared," Mel sighed. "I know what to do. I went on the raids with Wanda, too, you know?" Jared looked down in reply. "On the count of three?"

Jared nodded and faced the cave entrance. Jamie jumped up and down, prepping himself, while Melanie just took a ready stance. "One. Two. THREE!" The three of them burst out into a run, sprinting across the open desert. The wind blew sand in their faces but they kept dashing, racing towards the Jeep. After a few minutes, their breathing grew heavier as they tired. But none of them stopped. The threat was too big. Instead, they pushed on until they reached the vehicle, safe at last. Jamie slumped against the side of the car, catching his breath. Mel took a quick swig of her water and let out a sigh of relief. Jared didn't even bother to do either, but rather got to work immediately on the Jeep, loading everybody's bags inside and hanging the tarp over the back of the car. The three climbed in, Mel and Jared in front and Jamie in back. "Let's raid," Jared smiled, switching on the Jeep and driving carefully through the desert.

* * *

After a few hours of driving, they reached the city. Mel was sleeping, her head pressed gently against the window. Jamie was looking out the window, sunglasses on, and keeping a watch for any host-contenders. Jared was driving steadily with sunglasses pushed over his eyes. He was on edge. This wasn't a regular raid and was much more dangerous. Though they had captured Souls before, they had never been specific about it. They just grabbed the first ones they could. But now, they had to _look _for a specific body. It would be hard.

"Jared?" Jamie whispered, careful not to wake Mel.

"Yeah, kid?" He replied, turning down a street to avoid a group of Souls watching the roads.

"Can I pick her out?"

"Uh, sure, why not?" Jared sighed. "As long as Mel agrees with it. You know she'll have her say.

"Cool. Thanks!" Jamie replied before turning his attention back to the window. After a couple of hours, Melanie had taken over driving while Jared slept. Jamie was still wide awake, talking casually about what Wanda should look like. "Maybe blonde hair. I feel like she's a blonde. Oh! And she should be kind of small, right? I wanna be taller than her." Mel just laughed at him as she turned onto a seemingly quiet neighborhood. "What if we don't find the perfect match?"

"I'm sure you'll know her when you see her," Mel shrugged. "Like a wedding dress. They say that when you try it on you just _know_."

"Yeah, maybe." Jamie kept watching for a little while until he gasped, smiling wide. "How old should she be, Mel?"

"Well, you don't want her to be a little kid. Wanda would _kill _me. But since this is her last life, we want her to live longer. So, someone healthy and young-ish. Got it?"

"Yup," Jamie nodded. They waited in silence for a little while, driving through the neighborhood.

"Mel, look! Jared, wake up," he whisper-screamed. She shook Jared, who yawned and stretched. "Look over there!"

The couple turned their heads simultaneously to where Jamie was pointing. A short, skinny blonde girl was walking down the street. She looked about sixteen or seventeen with her small frame. "She's perfect!" Jamie exclaimed. The girl had blonde hair like he wanted. Definitely not tough looking, but innocent and sweet, just like Wanda. She would be hard to dislike; maybe even Sharon and Maggie would accept her in this body. Her smile was almost contagious, and her beauty was impossible to miss. She had a perfect face: flawless skin, long lashes, rosy lips.

"I like her," Melanie agreed, nodding her head. Jared agreed, saying something about how no one could hurt or distrust her. "People would want to protect her," he added. She looked so innocent.

"She looks like an angel. Just like Wanda," Jamie smiled. "So what do we do?"

"We go after her!" Mel grinned devilishly, sliding out of the car. Jared called after her, but she kept walking, heading towards the girl. Mel was set on this body for Wanda, and there was no way of stopping her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Note: I edited some details in the last chapter to make them match up to the book. Nothing you need to reread, but just letting you guys know!**

Mel carefully maneuvered herself behind a house so that she ended up behind the girl with the blonde hair. She thought this approach was more normal. She quickly slipped her sunglasses over her eyes, just to be safe, and approached her. "Excuse me?" she asked, hoping the girl was okay with talking to strangers. Most Souls appeared to be from what Wanda had told her, but you never know.

The girl stopped and looked at Melanie, examining her face carefully. "Hi," she said kindly in a high pitched, but pleasant, voice. It would have sucked if the girl had an annoying voice.

"Hello. My name is Melanie," she announced, trying to act as Soul-like as possible. "i'm new in town and . . . I think I'm lost," she said, making up the story. Hopefully the girl would buy it.

"Oh! Where are you trying to go? I'll take you. Our car is just back-"

"No, it's not far," Melanie interrupted. She needed to get this girl to go to _her _car_. _"I was going for a walk, but now I can't find my way to Becker Street." Luckily, Melanie had paid attention the street names on the way here.

The girl smiled, seemingly pleased to meet someone new on her street. The girl tried to explain the way to Melanie, who completely ignored everything. It's not like she was actually lost and needed directions. "Could you show me? I'm sorry, what's your name?" she asked. Souls are polite like that. They introduce themselves.

"Of course! Come with me. I'm Petals Open to the Moon, but my family mostly calls me Pet." Melanie thought the name was odd, but then again most Soul's names were. "Where are you from, Melanie?"

Melanie laughed at this, getting in to character, and asked, "Do you mean San Diego or the Singing World, Pet?" She was a very good liar.

"Either one," the girl giggled. Wanda's not a giggler, but maybe Pet will rub off on her, help her ease up a bit. Pet rattled on about a few other Bats living on the street, but Melanie wasn't paying much attention. She was looking off to the alley, where Jared and Jamie should be waiting in the car. But they weren't. They were standing in the street a few feet away, waiting patiently and nervously. Pet noticed her strange staring and turned around. She watched the boys, almost interested, and then turned back to Melanie.

"These are my friends, Pet."

"Oh! Oh, hello," Pet said, excited. She enthusiastically took Jared's hand, shaking it in her small one. But quickly the shake turns into Jared tugging Pet closer and pushing a rag into her mouth, filled with chloroform. Pet almost screamed, but she seemed to shocked to do so. Melanie felt bad for hurting such an innocent Soul, but she knew it was what was for the best.

The three quickly headed back to the van, Jared carrying Pet delicately. He set her down in the backseat of the car, her head resting in Jamie's lap at his request. In a day or so, this would be Wanda.

After loading up the van, they drove down to a convenience store. Jared headed in to pick up a few necessary items, including clothes for Mel, and then rushed back to the car. Small raids like this were easy, since you didn't have to buy anything. He barely even had to talk to the Soul up front at the register.

"Everything good?" Mel asked when he got back, looking nervously out the window. They couldn't get caught now. Not when they had a body for Wanda ready.

"Yup. Now, go to sleep. We've got a long drive home.

* * *

A couple hours later, Mel, Jamie, and Jared-grasping Pet carefully-were running through the desert again, heading through the wind at full speed. The raid was quick, but all three of the missed home. But more importantly, they missed Wanda. They wanted to get her back as soon as possible, even if it required running until their legs turned to jelly.

"Almost. There," Jared breathed, noticing Melanie's tiring face. Though Wanda had kept her body healthy and active, Melanie had a hard time running like this. Her mind wasn't in sync with her body yet and it was tiring.

They reached the cave entrance and let themselves in, breathing hard. Jared set Pet down carefully on the rock for a moment, regaining his composure. Nobody was waiting for them, probably since they weren't used to the raid being so quick. After gathering themselves, they headed down to the center of the caves, where everybody was going about their daily lives. "Jared!" Lily called, smiling. "Mel, Jamie! Thank god you guys are all safe!" she smiled, rushing over to them. The others all noticed their entrance and encircled them, hugging and asking questions. Everybody looked down curiously at the sleeping figure in Jared's arms. "She looks perfect. Just like Wanda," Lily grinned.

"I know!" Jamie replied excitedly. "Come on, let's get her to Doc!" He practically barreled through the crowd, rushing to Doc's little hospital. Jared sighed, following him despite his desire for food. He could smell something coming from the cafeteria. Mel raced after them.

"Doc! Doc, we're back!" Jamie called, rushing into the hospital. Doc looked up from his makeshift desk and smiled as Jared set Pet lightly down on the cot. "And we've got a body for Wanda. Can we put her in now?" Doc stood up and looked at the small girl, lying unconscious.

"I'm afraid not yet, Jamie," he sighed. He was just as anxious to get her back, but he knew they had to wait. "We have to give the girl a chance to wake up first. If she does, I'm afraid we can't put Wanda back in. That was the deal. And that's whats best."

"Oh," Jamie gasped. He'd forgotten about all of this. He was too anxious. "Okay. But can you make it as quick as possible?"

"Of course," Doc smiled. "I'll take this Soul out right now, and then we'll give her about a day to wakeup. If she doesn't, Wanda will be in before you know it!" He already started to get to work, grabbing the tools he needed. He picked up an unoccupied cyrotank and handed it to Jared, who opened it readily.

"Jamie, you don't need to watch," Mel said, knowing this wasn't going to be pretty. She'd seen it too many times in Wanda's head before.

"It's not that bad," Jared laughed. "The kid deserves to watch. He loves Wanda just as much, anyway."

"Yeah!" Jamie agreed.

Mel looked to Doc, who's scalpel was raised carefully above Pet's neck, where a light scar already was.

Mel sighed and rolled her eyes, rubbing her hand through Jamie's hair. "Fine." Jamie grinned and turned to Doc, who cleanly cut a thin line on Pet's neck. He slipped his finger through the slit and searched around for the segment that unhooked the Soul. Jamie watched in awe as Doc pulled out a sliver of gold. "Woah!" he exclaimed as Doc slid the Soul into Jared's open cyrotank. "It's that easy? That's so awesome!" Jared scoffed. Mel just grinned and hugged him tighter.

Doc applied all the necessary creams and then turned to the little gathering of people. "We'll give her till tomorrow afternoon. I'll make sure to keep an eye on her."

"Thanks, Doc," Jamie and Mel said in unison. They turned around and headed down the caves, only to run into Ian.


	6. Chapter 6

"Ian!" Mel gasped, shocked by his sudden appearance. "How are you?" Ian looked anxious, tired, and most of all, worried. He was clutching Wanda's cyrotank tighter than ever, his fingers turning red. From the looks of his red eyes, he hasn't slept since they left for the raid.

"How long?" he asked, avoiding Mel's question.

"Till what, O'Shea?" Jared asked, squeezing Mel around the waist. Jamie gave him a nasty look then smiled at Ian.

"Till tomorrow afternoon, Ian. That's what Doc said," Jamie answered.

"Oh."

"Don't worry, Ian," Mel tried, awkwardly placing her hand on his shoulder. Ian's head snapped up and stared at her hand, remembering _Wanda's _hand touching him gently like that. But this wasn't Wanda. This was Melanie. She quickly jerked her and off and tucked it behind her back. "She'll be back soon. We just need to make sure that a human isn't still _alive _in there," Mel said, tapping her forehead.

Ian nodded, understanding despite the fact that he didn't want to. "Can I see her?"

"Ian, it's not _her _yet."

"I know. I didn't mean Wanda," he sighed. "I mean the, uh, body." Ian loved Wanda for who she was-a Soul- but that didn't make it any less hard to talk about the logistics of her species. Having to know that he would never be able to kiss or touch or feel the real Wanda hurt him. He just would never say so. She would feel so guilty.

"Oh, um, yeah," Mel said. She hadn't thought Ian would want to see Pet's body before Wanda was inserted, but I guess she was wrong. "Do you want us to . . .?"

"No, I'll be fine," he said, reading her thoughts. He slid past them and into the hospital. Doc was working quietly at his desk, looked up, and smiled at Ian. He just nodded and walked over to the only cot occupied. On top of it sat a beautiful, petite girl. Maybe 16 or 17 years old. Long blonde hair, shimmering in the pale light, fanned out behind her head. Her ivory skin looked soft and delicate, and Ian almost reached out to touch it, but decided not to. This wasn't Wanda yet, anyway. The human could still wake up, after all. The girl's lips looked soft, a rosy pink. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, a few stray freckles covering her skin. Her body was thin and tiny, the perfect size to hold at night. Ian liked the idea of that.

He smiled down at the girl, happy with Jamie's pick. Even though Ian would love Wanda in any form, whether a disgustingly ugly woman or a completely different species altogether, but the thought of having Wanda in a body as beautiful as her personality felt right. And having Wanda in a body besides Mel's would make everything so much easier. He still felt weird around her, since he only had memories of Wanda inside of her, and having her own body would clear things up. Still, he suspected that things would remain weird between him and Mel for a while. Probably with Jared and Wanda too.

Ian sighed and looked down at the cyrotank in his hands. "Oh, Wanderer," he whispered, though he knew she couldn't hear him. "I can't wait till you come back to me."

* * *

Jamie shot out of bed the next morning, earlier than usual. After his "welcoming home" last night, he had gone straight to bed, hoping the morning would come faster. He still had a few hours to spare until Doc would insert Wanda, but he couldn't sleep any longer. He rushed down the hall and to the cafeteria, grabbing breakfast and eating fast, hoping to get to Doc's soon. Maybe he would start early.

"Woah, kid, slow down," Jared snickered, sitting down in the chair beside him.

"Yeah, throwing up isn't going to change what happens to Wanda," Mel joked, despite her own desire to choke down her food quickly. She was just as excited about inserting Wanda. And nervous. How would she react? She'd probably feel guilty first, then feel happy for a second, then regret that moment of selfishness and apologize. Yup. That sounded right.

"I know, but I just really want her back!" Jamie said, stuffing a piece of bread is his mouth. "Mel, you know I love you, but Wanda was stupid to do this. We could've gotten a new host first, waited for her to wake up, and _then _taken Wanda out. It would have been a quick switch!"

Mel laughed. "Trust me, Jamie, I would've liked that too. But you know Wanda. She never would have listened. Hell, if she wasn't so anti-violence she'd probably kill us for putting her back in a host."

"Not in that body. That girl's got no muscle," Jared laughed.

"I know. Now she can finally lay off the work!" Melanie said. "She works too much, and now we have an excuse to get her to take it easy!"

They ate in silence for a little while before heading off to work for an hour or two while Jamie went to school. Everybody, even anti-Souls like Sharon and Maggie, seemed on-edge. They were all glancing anxiously at the cracks of sunlight seeping through the walls, all talking as much as possible to pass the time. Even though Wanda's only been gone for about 3 days, the change is obvious.

* * *

Three hours later, right as everyone was finishing up lunch-Jamie bursted into the cafeteria, yelling for everybody to come. Well, not everybody, but anybody who actually wanted to. Mel, Jared, Lily, Jeb and a few others followed him down to the hospital, where he had eaten his lunch, standing watch. As the group piled in, Doc checked Pet on last time for any sign of brain activity. There was none.

"Okay, can somebody get Ian?" Doc asked. Jamie turned around to go after him, but he was already coming down through the tunnel. He must've heard everybody from his room.

"Why is everyone here?" he asked, a bit angrily.

"Because we care about her, Ian," Mel said, a bit offended. If anybody should be here for this, it was Mel.

He didn't answer, but just walked stiffly over to Doc. Doc extended his hand, as if asking for the cyrotank, but Ian just kept hold of it. Doc looked at him for a moment, then sighed. Ian knew the procedure well enough to be able to assist him. "Can I watch?" Jamie asked eagerly. Mel wanted to say no, but he'd already seen it once before, so she agreed.

"I'm ready," Ian murmured. He breathed in anxiously as Doc slid his knife across Pet's flawless skin, opening the same scar once again. Doc stepped away, allowing Ian to get in, and walked over to grab the rest of the material's he'd need for the healing. Ian knelt down beside Pet so that he was level with her slit neck. He unlocked the cyrotank and carefully slid Wanda out, into his palm. He gasped as she sunk into his hand, her soft, round body sending a fire through his skin. The same fire he felt when he had kissed Melanie.

_She's beautiful, _Ian thought, looking at her for the first time. His mouth was open as he stared at her, wide eyed. She was no bigger than his thumb, a thin line of silver still in his hands. She glowed like an angel, a wonderful, sweet angel. His angel. He smiled as he stroked her back lightly with his finger, hoping she could at least feel it or sense it or _something. _He wanted her to know that he cared.

"Ian," Doc whispered. He knew that only a minute more without a host and Wanda could die. Despite not wanting to let her small form go, he couldn't risk it. Everybody was staring in the same shocked state at Wanda as Ian was. They all had believed she looked more like a parasite, an ugly, crawling worm you'd find in your backyard. But no-they were wrong. Souls were beautiful creatures.

Ian took a deep breath and placed Wanda carefully around his finger. He pulled open the wound on Pet's neck, giving himself enough room to let his finger in. He slid it in, along with Wanda, and helped guide her to the areas that she had described to Doc. He'd never done an insertion (obviously), but he figured it was just the opposite of removing a Soul, which he'd seen enough times before. He waited until Wanda was situated where he thought she needed to be to remove his finger. After he did, he quickly shifted to the other side of the cot to let Doc in. He smoothly, professionally smeared Clean, Heal, and Smooth over the wound, smiling as he did so. They whole room was smiling, filled with joy at the near reunion with their friend.

Ian sat back as the girl-as _Wanda-_shifted slightly. He didn't expect her to react that quickly, but what did he know? No human has ever seen an insertion before and he didn't know what to expect. Would Wanda awake this fast? Would he be able to hold her in his arms in just a matter of minutes?

They waited for what seemed like hours, but was only about half of one. Wanda shifted slightly every so often, probably stretching herself inside of Pet's body to connect to all the correct nerves. Or maybe she was replaying Pet's memories. Hopefully they were good memories. Jeb went to get some of the others after Doc informed him that Wanda should be waking soon. Trudy and Geoffrey, Paige and Andy, Kyle and Sunny, Heath, Brandt, Hiedi. They all piled in, waiting anxiously as Wanda stirred a little bit more.

Wanda's mouth popped open, as if she was surprised, and Ian nearly jumped out of his seat. "Wanda? Can you hear me, Wanda?" he asked eager, stroking her hand. He wanted to kiss her so badly, feel her.

"Use the Awake," somebody murmured to Doc, hoping to speed up the process. Doc leaned in and sprayed a quick puff of the grapefruit scented stuff in front of Wanda's nose, and she immediately reacted. She took a long, deep breath and Ian's eyes got watery. She was almost here.

Ian felt Wanda's hand tense up slightly inside of his and he bit his lip to keep from kissing her right then. He leaned in close to her ear, so that only she would hear, and breathed every so slightly, "Wanderer? We're all waiting for you, honey." He almost kissed her ear, but didn't want to startle her. "Open your eyes."

Wanda caught her breath, recognizing Ian's voice. Ian took this as a good sign and leaned gently over her face, kissing her softly on her full lips. It felt so nice. He had missed that, even if it was with a different pair of lips. It still felt like Wanda. He trailed kisses over her eyelids, which fluttered under his touch.

"She's waking up!" Jamie squeaked, jumping up and down a little. Ian skimmed his hand gently along her face, running softly over her smooth skin. Her eyes flickered open slowly, though it appeared that she couldn't focus. Her eyes were a pale gray, ringed with that Soul-like silver. He thought they were so beautiful.

Wanda seemed to look around anxiously, trying to process everything. "Wanderer?" he sighed, waiting so desperately to hear her speak, to be with her completely. Her eyes settled on his and she nearly cried out in happiness.

"Ian?"

* * *

**AHHHH! So I hope you liked that fanfic :) All of that dialogue at the end is directly from the book, and I do not own any of it. I really had fun writing this and it appears that some people actually like it? Haha well, anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for reading (and maybe reviewing)! **

**Also, I started a new Host fic, called "Reinserted." It is going to take place a year or two after the end of the Host, and will discuss what happens when Pet's body is injured fatally, and there's no cyrotank around. **

** s/8982907/1/Reinserted**


End file.
